From hand painted cross stitch patterns to intricate knitted designs to textile complex quilts, artists and hobbyists alike are drawn to the array of fiber arts shops and organizations strewn across the Denver metro.
Owners and employees of these establishments say the Denver fiber arts scene is lively and inclusive.
"We all have different vibes," said Marsha Corn, owner of the Tangled Ball. "We all carry some of the same, some different, we all specialize. (But) we're in it for the same reason because we all love fiber and we all want to succeed and maybe make our customers love fibers as much as we do."
The Tangled Ball: "A community"
The Tangled Ball, located at 5505 W. 20th Ave. in Edgewater, is not just a yarn shop - it's a vibrant community hub for individuals of all ages and skill levels to come together and engage in the fiber arts.
"We have classes here, we have workshops here, we have events here," Corn said. "It's a safe place for people to come and just hang out and create."
Corn said her mother inspired her passion for the fiber arts, and she was inspired to open the Tangled Ball after sitting in a shop with some friends and wishing there was one similar near where she lived.
"So my mom taught me how to knit and crochet (and) do all that kind of stuff," Corn said. "I've always wanted to open my own business, so I proposed the idea to my husband about (opening) a yarn store, and it was one of the few that he was like, "yeah, we could do that.""
The location Corn chose was ideal because it's within a marketplace that offers food, drink and ample parking - creating a perfect environment for a community-centered store.
The Tangled Ball opened its doors in July 2020, after delays caused by the pandemic, and it has since grown into a space that serves many.
For Corn, the best aspect of the Tangled ball is the way it provides support to people.
"We solve each other's world problems. We get people through divorces. We get people through breakups. We get people through what to make for dinner. It's just such a great community," Corn said.
As a lover of the fiber arts, Corn feels different forms - such as needlepoint, knitting, crocheting and more - are both for those searching for a hobby and those skilled in the art of all of it.
For Corn, something like a hand-knitted article is a work of art.
"It's the yarn. The color of the yarn. The texture of the yarn. The composition of the yarn. (It) has linens and silks and rolls blended into it, and it's just beautiful," Corn said. "It's an art form of design patterns. I do say we don't knit or crochet now out of necessity, we knit out of joy or hobby."
Corn believes people especially enjoy the fiber arts because it allows them to focus on something other than the stresses and challenges of day-to-day life.
"I'm not thinking about all the junk going on up here in the world," Corn said. "I'm focused on what I'm doing, even if it's just 10 minutes. I'm not thinking about what to make for dinner. I'm not thinking about politics. I'm not thinking about religion. I'm just concentrating on what's in front of me."
Diversions Needlepoint: "Keeping needlepoint alive"
Similar to Corn, Colorado-born and co-owner of Diversions Needlepoint, Cari Davis, was inspired by her late mother to practice the art of needlepoint. It was her passion for the art that eventually led her to pursue it as a career.
"I saw her doing it and wanted to do it," Davis said. "(I love) the color, the people, the challenge, the creativity, and I love the tactile. I enjoy the kinesthetic."
Davis and her mother, Mary Lou Kidder, initially opened Diversions in Vail. It is now located at 410 W. Hampden Ave., and for over 50 years, the store has brought fiber arts supplies and knowledge to people throughout Colorado.
Davis now runs the shop with her own daughter, Mandy Adams, who grew up in the fiber business - even making her first project, a belt, at the age of 4.
Adams brought her own artistic talents to the shop, offering custom design services such as hand-painted canvases for needlepoint projects. Her ability to turn a customer's vision into a unique work of art quickly became a hallmark of the store.
"I was just born artistic," Adams said. "I always drew and painted and played with color from the time I was just a little one. (I am) awful a548t math and everything else, but I can kind of draw."
The staff at Diversions, a mix of paid employees and volunteers, is knowledgeable and passionate about needlepoint. Many of the staff members have been with the shop for years, ensuring that customers always receive expert guidance and support.
"We've got a great group of women and wonderful people that volunteer here to help people," Davis said. "Every day is different. You never know what's going to happen or who's going to walk in the door, and that makes it fun."
Adams said she enjoys the challenge and the creative aspect of her art.
"You're making heirlooms," Adams said.
As the shop celebrates over five decades of business, it remains committed to providing a welcoming space where people can explore their creativity, build connections and find inspiration.
For Davis and Adams, it's not just about selling products -- it's about building a community of makers.
"We hope to keep making people happy and inspire future generations and to keep needlework alive," Davis said.
Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum: "All about stories'
Another institution that works to educate and foster a community of fiber arts enthusiasts is the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden.
Located at 200 Violet St. Suite 140, this museum is dedicated entirely to the history, teaching and fundamentals of quilting.
"It's a place where people really find an opportunity to experience what quilts are all about," said Holly Bailey, the museum's education manager. "And quilts are all about stories - stories of the people who made the quilts, stories of people who owned the quilts and got to experience the quilts. Even brand new quilts, the makers, almost always have a story of why they made the quilt or things that happened along the way while they were making it." .
The museum has over 850 quilts in its permanent collection and about 150 quilts in its educational collections.
"(With) the permanent collection, preservation is kind of the primary thing that we're concerned with, and then exhibiting so that people can see those quilts," Bailey said.
The education collection contains quilts that don't make it into the permanent collection.
"They're still really valuable for education purposes," Bailey said. "So we use those quilts to be able to bring them out. We take them out in trunk shows around the community and (country). The audience can touch them. So the education collection has the ones that you can get up close and personal with."
For Bailey, quilting began not as a lifelong passion, but as a deeply personal project.
"I started doing it for kind of a strange reason," Bailey said. "My sister was a quilter and she was the major caretaker for my parents and lived very close to them. I lived 1,500 miles away."
Bailey said her mother had Alzheimer's. So as a way to help her stay engaged in the story of her life, Bailey and her sister decided to make a quilt of their mother's memories.
"She could talk about it and it didn't really matter whether she was right or wrong or anything, but it was conversational and it would be something that she would get to enjoy," Bailey said.
Based on her experience, Bailey believes many people begin quilting due to sentimental purposes and then just fall in love with the storytelling element of the art.
"I think a lot of people get involved because of friends or family or somebody else," Bailey said. "Maybe they learn it from their relatives or people they're around. But it's very creative. Most of the time it's very relaxing. Touching fabric has a value in and of itself. It's almost like giving somebody a hug when you give them a quilt because it's something that's going to wrap around them and they're going to find comfort in it."
Bailey said many different people - from children to seniors - visit and enjoy all the services the museum has to offer, including its extensive library and classes.
Classes range from beginner quilting to advanced textile arts, with topics like hand-stitching, machine quilting and even digital-to-fabric design. One recent class explored how to turn a photograph into a quilt, using technology to manipulate and print images on fabric.
Another key highlight is the museum's summer kids' camp. Running for four weeks in June, the camp offers young artists, ages 8 to 16, the opportunity to design and complete their own quilts.
"They do everything," Bailey said. "From the design of it through all of the sewing, all of the quilting, the binding."
The museum also offers free community groups, including hand-stitching circles, study groups and technique-focused clubs.
Despite the richness of the fiber arts scene in the Denver metro area, Bailey feels there's room for deeper collaboration.
"There's a lot of variety, but we don't come together very often and really trade ideas and crossover in our teaching," Bailey said. "It would be nice if we could maybe be a little more intentional about that."
One step toward greater unity is an upcoming partnership with the Embroidery Guild of America. The two groups will share knowledge through workshops, such as one on crazy quilts, which often incorporate intricate embroidery.
The team has recently expanded into a third unit of their building, with hopes to eventually occupy the entire space. The overall goal is to create a full-fledged quilting and fiber arts complex and a destination for locals and visitors alike.
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